iOS App Development

iOS app development is the process of building software applications for Apple's mobile operating system, running on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac (via Catalyst or native). Development approaches include native (Swift/SwiftUI, Objective-C), cross-platform (Flutter, React Native), or hybrid frameworks. We primarily use Flutter for iOS development because it compiles to native ARM code, delivers 60fps performance matching native Swift apps, and shares 80%+ code with Android—reducing costs 30-50% while maintaining Apple's premium experience standards.

Timeline depends on complexity: Simple apps (5-10 screens, basic features) take 6-10 weeks. Medium complexity (15-25 screens, offline sync, Apple integrations) takes 12-16 weeks. Complex apps with HealthKit, ARKit, or enterprise features take 4-8 months. Our Flutter approach reduces timelines 30-40% compared to native Swift because we share code with Android and use Hot Reload for rapid iteration. Most clients launch iOS MVPs in 8-12 weeks, with TestFlight beta available 2-3 weeks earlier.

Costs vary by scope: MVPs with core features range $25,000-$75,000. Full-featured apps with offline capability, Apple integrations (HealthKit, Sign in with Apple), and polished UX cost $75,000-$150,000. Complex enterprise solutions with compliance, custom backends, and Apple Watch companions cost $150,000-$300,000+. Flutter cross-platform development saves 30-50% compared to building separate native apps. Apple Developer Program membership costs $99/year.

For most apps, Flutter is the better choice. Flutter compiles to native ARM code, delivers identical 60fps performance to Swift apps, and shares 80%+ code with Android. Choose native Swift/SwiftUI only when you need: latest iOS features before Flutter supports them (usually 2-4 months gap), deep HealthKit/ARKit/Core ML integration, watchOS-first experiences, or your team has strong Swift expertise. We recommend Flutter for 90%+ of iOS projects and help you decide based on your specific Apple ecosystem requirements.

App Store submission involves: enrolling in Apple Developer Program ($99/year), configuring App Store Connect with app metadata, preparing screenshots for all device sizes, creating privacy nutrition labels, submitting through Xcode or CI/CD, and passing Apple's review (typically 24-48 hours, occasionally longer). Apple's review is stricter than Google Play—they check UI quality, privacy compliance, and guideline adherence. Our 95% first-submission approval rate comes from following Apple Human Interface Guidelines and addressing common rejection reasons proactively.

TestFlight is Apple's official beta testing platform. Internal testing allows up to 100 testers with immediate access (no review). External testing supports up to 10,000 testers but requires a brief Apple review (usually 24 hours). We integrate TestFlight into CI/CD pipelines so every merged PR automatically deploys to testers. Benefits include: real device testing before launch, crash reports and feedback collection, gradual rollout capability, and 90-day build expiration ensuring testers use current versions.

Yes, with proper architecture. We build offline-first iOS apps using: Core Data or SQLite for local storage, Keychain for secure credential storage, background fetch and silent push notifications for sync, CloudKit for Apple-native sync (optional), and clear UI indicators showing connectivity status. Offline capability is essential for travelers, field workers, and areas with poor connectivity. Our Flutter apps include robust offline support using drift (SQLite) with sophisticated conflict resolution.

We implement comprehensive security: Keychain for sensitive data storage, App Transport Security (ATS) for network encryption, Face ID/Touch ID biometric authentication, certificate pinning for API security, code signing and app attestation, data protection APIs for file encryption, and compliance with Apple's privacy requirements. For enterprise apps, we add MDM support, per-app VPN configuration, and managed app configuration. All apps follow OWASP Mobile Security guidelines.

We typically support iOS 13+ covering 95%+ of active devices—Apple users adopt new iOS versions faster than Android users. This allows use of modern APIs like SwiftUI, Combine, and async/await while maintaining broad reach. For apps requiring cutting-edge features, we may target iOS 15+ (90% coverage). We test on iOS betas to ensure day-one compatibility with new releases. Flutter makes supporting multiple iOS versions straightforward with consistent behavior across all supported versions.

Yes, Flutter's platform channels provide full access to iOS-native APIs. We integrate: HealthKit for health and fitness data, ARKit for augmented reality experiences, Core ML for on-device machine learning, SiriKit for voice shortcuts, WidgetKit for Home Screen widgets, Sign in with Apple for authentication, Apple Pay for payments, and CarPlay for automotive apps. For complex native integrations, we write Swift code that Flutter calls through platform channels, giving you native capability with cross-platform efficiency.

Yes, we offer comprehensive maintenance including: iOS version compatibility updates (new versions release annually in September), dependency and security updates, App Store policy compliance (Apple frequently updates guidelines), performance monitoring with Firebase/Sentry, crash resolution and bug fixes, feature enhancements based on App Store reviews and analytics, and TestFlight management for ongoing beta programs. 70% of clients continue with us post-launch for ongoing development and maintenance.